Flight Safety Information
March 1, 2016 - No. 043
In This Issue
PROS 2016 TRAINING
Kenya's major airports on high alert after terror threat warning
Pilot diverts jet after man aboard undresses
Boeing 767 Windshield Cracked Inflight
Lightning hits jet: 'It just sounded like a big explosion'
IATA, Nigeria partner on air safety in Africa
Fifty aviation safety experts gather for helicopter infrastructure summit
Aviation Exec Accused of Selling Feds Bad Parts
China's Y-20 transport aircraft may enter service in 2016
Air China to buy 12 Airbus A330-300 aircraft
Why you probably shouldn't be doing work on airplane Wi-Fi
University of Wyoming to host drone aircraft symposium
777 Jet engine now part of South Seattle College aviation maintenance program
NASA seeks to revive supersonic air travel with quiet passenger jet initiative
Call for papers for ISASI 2016, Iceland, 17 to 20 October 2016
Research Survey Request
RESEARCH SURVEY...MENTAL HEALTH & FLYING SURVEY
Kenya's major airports on high alert after terror threat warning
A memo from Kenya's Airports Authority warns airport managers about terror threats
Terror group Al Shabaab will deploy suicide bombers trained in Somalia "on airborne
suicide missions," it says
But Kenya's Aviation Authority says the memo was released before information in it was
vetted
Nairobi, Kenya (CNN)Security officials at Kenya's major airports are on high alert this
week after Kenya's Airports Authority issued a warning to all airport managers about
possible terror threats against the facilities.
The internal memo, marked as "secret," was sent to CNN and has been verified by a high-
level source in the Kenyan aviation industry who received the note late last week.
The memo warns airport employees that al Qaeda-linked terror group Al Shabaab would
deploy suicide bombers trained in Somalia "on airborne suicide missions."
However, since the memo was leaked to local media, Kenya's Aviation Authority has
released a statement from its managing director, Yatich Kangugo, saying the earlier
memo had been released before the information had been vetted by relevant authorities.
"We therefore wish to assure our citizens that all airport users that KAA airports and
airstrips are not under any imminent threat. I wish to report that normal operations are
ongoing." Kangugo also said the operational threat category had been raised to high alert
"in conjunction with all other national security organs who have increased vigilance to
counter any potential threats."
Security has been increased at both Nairobi's major airport, Jomo Kenyatta International,
and Mombasa's major airport, Moi International.
CNN's source at the airport has said that most of the attention from security officials has
been focused on Terminal 2 at Nairobi's airport, which is the domestic terminal and where
most planes bound for Somalia are flown out of and into.
A fire severely damaged Nairobi's international airport in 2013, and many of the terminals
have since been under reconstruction. Some, including parts of Terminal 2, consist of
temporary structures.
The threat warning comes less than a month after a suspected terrorist carried a bomb
disguised as a laptop onto a plane in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu. The bomb blew a hole
in the fuselage of the plane, and the suspect was sucked out of the hole and plunged to
the ground. The explosion killed Abdisalam Abdullahi Borleh and injured two other
passengers.
The pilot of the Daallo Airlines flight was able to land the plane safely. At the time,
experts warned that the bomb was "sophisticated" and that it was disguised well enough
as an electronic device to fool airline security officials manning the X-ray machines at
Mogadishu international Airport.
Authorities in Somalia are still investigating who else was involved in the elaborate plot,
but Al Shabaab has since claimed responsibility.
Al Shabaab has conducted several terror attacks inside Kenya since the country sent its
troops across the border to Somalia to battle the terror group in 2011. These attacks
include the Westgate mall attack in September 2013 that killed more than 60 people and
the Garissa University attack in 2015, where nearly 150 people died, many of them
university students.
The group just days ago released a propaganda video claiming to have fighters inside
Kenya who are ready to attack.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/29/africa/kenya-airports-terror-alert/
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Pilot diverts jet after man aboard undresses
(NEWSER) - A handful of Brits from Southampton may be in for more than a hangover
after the Ryanair flight they were on from London to Slovakia's capital was diverted to
Berlin Friday night.
According to the crew, half the members of a bachelor party "misbehaved so badly" that
passenger safety was compromised, reports Deutsche Welle. After the group of allegedly
intoxicated men was refused more alcohol and became aggressive, with one man
allegedly undressing himself, the pilot landed the 170-passenger plane at Schoenefeld
airport.
The groom and five others, all ages 25 to 28, were ejected, reports the Guardian. The
other six members of the party were permitted to stay on the plane, which eventually
landed in Bratislava.
Each of the men detained on misdemeanor charges could face fines as steep as $27,000
and could even be sued by the airline, reports NBC News. "We will not tolerate unruly or
disruptive behavior at any time and the safety and comfort of our customers, crew, and
aircraft is our number one priority," Ryanair said in a statement, adding that it is now "a
matter for local police."
The six men were released after a few hours, and their names aren't being released per
German law; there is no word on whether they remained in enough of a party mood to
reach Bratislava.
http://www.wcnc.com/news/nation-now/pilot-diverts-jet-after-man-aboard-
undresses/61781472
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Boeing 767 Windshield Cracked Inflight
Date:
01-MAR-2016
Time:
8:38 UTC
Type:
Boeing 767-322ER
Owner/operator:
Ukraine International Airlines
Registration:
UR-GEA
C/n / msn:
25280
Fatalities:
Fatalities: 0 / Occupants:
Other fatalities:
0
Airplane damage:
Minor
Location:
Near Nikolaev, Ukraine - Ukraine
Phase:
En route
Nature:
International Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:
KBP/UKBB
Destination airport:
TLV
Narrative:
Flight PS775 turned back to Kiev-Boryspil Airport, Ukraine, after a windshield in cockpit
cracked. The Boeing 767-322ER successfully landed at Borispyl at 11:05 UTC. No one was
harmed.
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=185042
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Lightning hits jet: 'It just sounded like a big explosion'
An Alaska Airlines jet takes off from Petersburg's airport in 2014. A Sunday night flight
from Seattle to Ketchikan and Juneau was struck by lightning. (Photo by Ed
Schoenfeld/CoastAlaska News)
An Alaska Airlines flight on its way to Ketchikan and Juneau was struck by lightning
Sunday night. No one was hurt, but it shook people up.
Alaska Airlines flight 69 left Seattle Sunday night a little before its scheduled 6:50
departure time.
It was about 15 minutes into its trip to Ketchikan and Juneau.
Then, said passenger Libby Bakalar, this happened.
"All of a sudden there was this, like a big boom, explosion-type sound. And everyone just
kind of gasped on the plane, 'What was that?'" she said.
George Reifenstein was also on the flight.
"It shook the plane too when it happened. It just sounded like a big explosion," he said.
"There was a brilliant flash. And some people who were aft of the engine saw some
flames."
Both passengers said everyone immediately went silent.
"And then, maybe a minute went by before the pilot got on the intercom and he said, very
calmly, 'You know, that was lightning and this happens. And we have to turn around and
head back to Seattle,'" Bakalar said.
The plane landed, everyone got off and was eventually loaded onto another jet for an
uneventful flight north. That included a dance team, from Ketchikan, and passengers
headed on to Sitka.
Alaska Airline's Ann Zaninovich said heading back to SeaTac wasn't a hard decision.
"Since the plane had just taken off a few minutes prior, the safest thing to do would be to
turn around the plane. And out of an abundance of caution for the passengers and
anybody on board, the safest thing to do was head it back to Seattle to inspect the
aircraft.
The lightning strike was a first for the passengers we talked to. But Zaninovich said it's
not rare.
"It's fairly common. But we take these things seriously," she said.
According to an article in Scientific American, each airplane in the U.S. commercial fleet is
struck lightly by lightning more than once each year.
Passenger Bakalar, who writes the blog One Hot Mess, said she hopes it's not all that
common. Once, she said, was enough.
"There's the expression, 'Lightning won't strike twice in one place,' I guess. So maybe the
chance of me being on another flight that gets hit by lightning is low. Let's hope," she
said.
No official details about damage to the Boeing 737 are available yet. But some passengers
said they saw burn marks once they left the plane.
http://www.kfsk.org/2016/02/29/lightning-hits-jet-it-just-sounded-like-a-big-explosion/
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IATA, Nigeria partner on air safety in Africa
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Nigeria plan new measures to
enhance air safety in Africa.
This is in line with decisions reached by African transport ministers in 2012 to improve
safety in the continent's skies.
Nigeria's Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Director-General Captain Muhtar Usman and
IATA's Regional Director, Safety and Flight Operations, Africa and Middle East, Tanja
Grobotek, made the promise after a meeting in Abuja last weekend.
Usman described the endorsement of the African Union's Abuja Declaration as one of the
most significant steps taken to boost safety and development of avaiation on the
continent.
He said the industry would achieve much if all players contributed to sustain initiatives
geared towards improving air safety.
"Nigeria is committed to supporting its implementation across the sub-Saharan Africa
through developing new strategies that will see the recent gains on Africa's safety record
sustained and even improved," he added.
Since the Abuja Declaration's adoption in 2012, Africa's safety performance, he said, had
improved significantly.
Besides these important and valuable gains, Africa still accounts for the highest accident
rate.
"African safety is moving in the right direction, thanks to the work done by a number of
African nations, including Nigeria, who have worked hard to raise awareness of the
importance of implementing the Abuja Declaration," Grobotek said.
"In 2015, we saw safety on the continent improve compared to the five-year accident rate
for both jet and turboprop hull losses. Nevertheless, the challenges of bringing Africa in
line with global performance remain," she explained.
He continued: " IATA remains focused on its commitment to actively contribute its
expertise and resources to help African nations implement the standards outlined in the
Abuja Declaration.
''One such area is the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), a proven tool for raising
safety. IATA has worked with a number of airlines in Africa to bring them onto the IOSA
registry. Eleven have joined since the Abuja Declaration was signed, which means 31
airlines from sub-Saharan Africa now benefit from this rigorous safety audit."
Another issue that was discussed at the meeting was the need for African Governments to
accelerate the implementation of ICAO's safety-related standards and recommended
practices (SARPS), according to the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program (USOAP).
The NCAA reaffirmed its commitment to improve on the effective implementation of the
SARPS by the end of the year. As at the end of January, only 21 African states had
accomplished at least 60 per cent of implementation of the SARPS.
http://thenationonlineng.net/iata-nigeria-partner-on-air-safety-in-africa/
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Fifty aviation safety experts gather for helicopter infrastructure summit
Spearheading this first of its kind effort for the U.S. Helicopter Safety Team were Tom
Judge of LifeFlight of Maine, Steven Sparks of the Federal Aviation Administration, Rex
Alexander of HeliExperts International and USHST member Rachel Miller-Tester. USHST
Photo
More than 50 aviation safety leaders from the industry and government came together
earlier this month at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research offices in
Washington, D.C. to discuss the future of helicopter infrastructure within the realm of the
low altitude environment of the National Airspace System.
The infrastructure summit was designed as an industry and government collaborative
effort comprised of groups that are involved with; impacted by; have federal, state or
local regulatory oversite, jurisdiction and/or enforcement of; or provide general
advisory/council on:
* Aviation weather gathering, dissemination and reporting;
* heliport safety, standardization, education and oversight; and
* low altitude IFR infrastructure design and integration.
During the two-day summit, government and industry experts participated in discussions
for the purpose of advancing low level infrastructure for helicopter operations during the
next 30 years.
A few of the key initiatives that came out of the summit were:
* Suggest additional enhancements to the Aviation Weather Center product;
* support integration of the Automated Weather Observing System into the National
Airspace Data Interchange Network and the Meteorological Assimilation Data Ingest
System;
* improve heliport information within the national 5010 airport master record database;
* promote safer IFR helicopter operations; and
* support approach and departure criteria standardization, heliport standardization, and
route standardization.
Spearheading this first of its kind effort for the U.S. Helicopter Safety Team were Tom
Judge of LifeFlight of Maine, Steven Sparks of the Federal Aviation Administration, Rex
Alexander of HeliExperts International and USHST member Rachel Miller-Tester.
http://www.verticalmag.com/news/article/Fifty-aviation-safety-experts-gather-for-
helicopter-infrastructure-summit
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Aviation Exec Accused of Selling Feds Bad Parts
BROOKLYN (CN) - The head of an aviation parts company was arrested Monday amid
claims that he knowingly sold defective parts to the U.S. military that endangered the
lives of service members.
The charges against Paul Skiscim were announced Monday by Brooklyn U.S. Attorney
Robert Capers.
Skiscism, 62, is accused of selling the defective parts between 2003 and 2013 through his
company, Aerospec Inc.
His jig was up when feds caught on and disbarred him from doing business with the
government in 2013, according to prosecutors.
However, the government says the East Northport, N.Y., resident then created a shell
company to pull in $2.8 million in contracts to continue selling his company's defective
airplane parts to the federal government.
His alleged scheme "not only violated the law but showed a callous disregard for the
safety of federal employees and our military personnel," Capers said.
"It is critical that federal aircraft, including military aircraft, be built with the best parts
available," he said in a statement.
Kenneth Siegler, resident agent-in-charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service,
said, "America's warfighters deserve the very best to perform their jobs in these difficult
times."
"It is inexcusable that individuals endeavor to enrich themselves by stealing from the U.S.
taxpayer through fraud, especially by denying critical goods to our service men and
women combating terrorism in a hostile overseas environment," Siegler said.
Skiscim will be arraigned Monday afternoon in Central Islip.
http://www.courthousenews.com/2016/02/29/aviation-exec-accused-of-selling-feds-bad-
parts.htm
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China's Y-20 transport aircraft may enter service in 2016
A fifth prototype of the Xian Aircraft Corporation Y-20 heavy transport with bort number
789 reportedly flew on 6 February 2016. Source: Chinese Internet
The appearance on Chinese military webpages of the fifth prototype of the Xian Aircraft
Corporation (XAC) Y-20 heavy strategic transport aircraft has prompted suggests that it
could enter People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) service as early as this year.
Reportedly flown for the first time on 6 February 2016, the fifth prototype carries the bort
number 789. It follows soon after the fourth prototype, with bort number 788, which was
seen on Chinese web pages on 23 January 2016. Other known prototypes carry
identification numbers 781, 783, and 785.
The appearance of the latest Y-20 prototype prompted commentary by Chinese experts.
In a 27 January Xinhua article former Chinese test pilot Xu Yongling reported that Chinese
aviation industry officials had stated that the Y-20 "completed development" at the end of
2015. Xu, who participated in the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation J-10 fighter test
programme, suggested that the Y-20 could enter service in 2016.
A fourth Y-20 prototype with bort number 788 appeared in January 2016, when there
were also suggestions in the Chinese media that the PLA Navy Air Force might acquire the
Y-20. (Chinese Internet)
In a 26 January article for People's Daily , professor at the PLAAF Command College Chen
Hong noted that the payload for the Y-20 was "60 tons": greater than that of the Russian
Ilyushin Il-76MD, the current production version of which is credited with a 52-tonne
payload by IHS Jane's All the World's Aircraft .
Chen also noted that the Y-20 could be developed into airborne early warning, electronic
warfare/jamming, and tanker variants.
An earlier People's Daily article from 22 January noted that the Y-20 could also eventually
equip the PLA Navy Air Force (PLANAF). With the possible addition of the Y-20, the
PLANAF could become the leading air service to support and defend China's growing island
outposts in the South China Sea.
http://www.janes.com/article/58397/china-s-y-20-transport-aircraft-may-enter-service-
in-2016
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Air China to buy 12 Airbus A330-300 aircraft
Air China Ltd. (0753.HK) agreed to buy 12 A330-300 aircraft from Airbus Group
SE(AIR.FR) for a combined list price of US$2.93 billion.
The Chinese flag carrier said in a filing that the medium-haul aircraft, which will be
delivered between 2016 and 2018, are expected to increase its capacity by about 5.6%.
The latest deal comes after rival China Southern Airlines Co. (1055.HK), the nation's
biggest airline by fleet size, in December sealed a deal to buy 10 A330-300 aircraft from
Airbus for a combined list price of US$2.27 billion.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/air-china-to-buy-12-airbus-a330-300-aircraft-2016-
03-01
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Why you probably shouldn't be doing work on airplane Wi-Fi
Gogo Wireless and other in-flight services can be even worse than usual public Wi-Fi.
There's a certain degree of doubt about whether it's possible to hack into an airplane's
avionics from the in-flight Wi-Fi, as one security researcher claimed last year. But it's
possible to do all sorts of things to fellow passengers-as USA Today columnist Steven
Petrow recently found out. Following an American Airlines flight, Petrow was approached
by a man who claimed to have gained access to the content of his e-mails, which showed
communication with sources for a story Petrow was writing.
Petrow offered a bunch of advice on how to protect privacy on mobile devices (strong
passwords, password managers, and encrypted communications apps). But none of these
really addresses how he got "hacked"-the in-flight Wi-Fi provided a perfect environment
for an attacker to undermine the security of other passengers' communications. It's
something that could easily be fixed, but in-flight Internet providers are in no hurry to do
so, because it's not in their interest.
When you're on any public Wi-Fi, you're bound to give up some personal information to
anyone who might be watching the traffic (whether that be the company providing the
service, for marketing purposes, or someone with more malicious intent). For example, in
previous tests (such as the ones we conducted with NPR), we saw iPads and iPhones that
identified themselves to the network by their owner's name, and Web requests to
websites and mobile app traffic (some including personal data) were also visible. And as
might have happened to Petrow, old-school POP/SMTP e-mail messages could be
practically read off the wire.
In-flight Wi-Fi services like Gogo Wireless (the service Petrow used on his flight) and
Global Eagle Entertainment (the service available on Southwest Airlines and some other
carriers) are in many ways just like the public Wi-Fi available at any coffee shop, mall,
hotel, or other location where access is granted through a "captive portal"-that login
screen that pops up in a browser window requiring either payment or acknowledgement of
terms of service before you can reach the Web. Since there's no password protection on
the Wi-Fi connection, there's no privacy protection for the raw traffic that is carried on the
Wi-Fi network's packets, and anyone listening in can intercept all of what gets passed
through the wireless access point to and from the Internet.
But some in-flight networks break privacy even harder and introduce more potential ways
to attack devices using them, because they either inadvertently or purposely block some
of the most basic networking security tools: secure HTTP and virtual private networks.
And Gogo designed its network specifically with law enforcement needs in mind, as its
executives explained in a 2012 letter to the Federal Communications Commission arguing
against FCC-imposed monitoring requirements:
"In designing its existing network, Gogo worked closely with law enforcement to
incorporate functionalities and protections that would serve public safety and national
security interests. Gogo's network is fully compliant with the Communications Assistance
for Law Enforcement Act ("CALEA"). The Commission's ATG rules do not require licensees
to implement capabilities to support law enforcement beyond those outlined in CALEA.
Nevertheless, Gogo worked with federal agencies to reach agreement regarding a set of
additional capabilities to accommodate law enforcement interests. Gogo then
implemented those functionalities into its system design."
Both Gogo and Global Eagle appear to block VPN traffic. Until last year, Gogo was also
issuing its own certificates for some secure websites-including Google. That allowed them
to perform content screening even in apparently secure Google searches. This may have
been part of Gogo's effort to prevent passengers from accessing sites that are
"objectionable." (A few years ago, Ars found that Gogo was blocking passengers from
accessing our website.) But it would also allow the providers to give law enforcement
greater insight into what passengers are doing aboard aircraft by stripping away Secure
Socket Layer (SSL) encryption from Web browsing sessions.
Global Eagle's service on Southwest also injects HTML into unencrypted Web pages: a
flight tracker ticker that sits at the top of the browser window, essentially adding an
advertisement to every non-SSL Web connection. The injection breaks the stylesheet for
Ars' homepage.
Ars reached out to Gogo and Global Eagle for comment on their network management and
monitoring practices but did not receive any response.
Using SSL would, in theory, still protect people from others aboard an aircraft tapping into
their sessions. But it wouldn't prevent an attacker from overcoming that protection.
Someone could use their laptop with two Wi-Fi adapters (one masquerading as the in-
flight Wi-Fi access point using malicious access point software and the other connected to
the legitimate service) and essentially do the same thing that Gogo did-perform a man-in-
the-middle attack by acting as an SSL proxy, issuing a fake certificate to Web connections
that gives the evil laptop the ability to read everything that passes through before re-
encrypting it and passing it on to the legitimate site. These sorts of attacks would likely
trigger a warning from Chrome or Firefox that the sites are insecure; alternatively, the
attacker could use a tool like SSL Strip to redirect to an insecure or "lookalike" version of
an HTTPS site where login credentials could be stolen.
It's not like anyone would notice a slow-down. In-flight Wi-Fi depends either on satellite
communications or the somewhat faster air-to-ground cellular radio communications. A
man-in-the-middle attack wouldn't add much additional latency to Web sessions.
There's also the possibility that in-flight networks could be used to carry direct attacks on
passengers' devices. Since the networks are essentially open wireless LANs, an attacker
could probe the other devices on the network for vulnerabilities. The attacker wouldn't
necessarily have to pay to play on the network to do this. Both Gogo and Global Eagle
provide media streaming in-flight for free, and there are a number of ways to get past the
paywall for short periods of time.
So how do you protect your privacy and still stay connected?
If you can get a VPN connection to work, use it.
Make sure you've enabled the firewall software for your computer and that you've turned
off any sharing services.
Check the certificate of secure websites. Chrome and Firefox will usually catch forged or
proxy certificates. If you get a certificate warning, don't click through to continue-wait
until you've landed and have a safer network to work from.
And if all else fails, just turn off Wi-Fi and work offline or enjoy the flight the way millions
before you have-by staring into space or thumbing through that in-flight magazine.
http://arstechnica.co.uk/information-technology/2016/03/why-you-probably-shouldnt-be-
doing-work-on-that-in-flight-wi-fi/
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University of Wyoming to host drone aircraft symposium
LARAMIE - Drones are coming to the University of Wyoming for a symposium that will
focus in part on how they can be put to use in the state's wide-open spaces.
The university's Wyoming Geographic Information Science Center will host the symposium
May 17-18. It won't just be a lot of droning on - demonstration aircraft will buzz around
inside and out.
"The development of this technology has really advanced significantly in the past few
years," center director Jeff Hamerlink said Friday. "What we hope what we can contribute
is something that's a little bit more unique to Wyoming."
Possibilities include using drones to keep an eye on wildfires and ranching operations.
Most attention paid drones in Wyoming to date has involved unmanned aircraft in
Yellowstone National Park. In 2014, a judge ordered a Dutch man to pay $3,240 in fines
and restitution for crashing a drone into Grand Prismatic Spring.
It was one of at least three errant drones in the park that year.
Drones offer many advantages over traditional, manned aircraft and satellites to gather
data about natural resources. They are less expensive and can provide data more quickly,
Hamerlink said.
Drones promise a big step forward in some ways from the federal government's more
than 40-year-old Landsat program, which revolutionized data-gathering for agriculture,
natural resource sciences and mapping through satellite images. The problem with
Landsat is turnaround time.
"You don't get a return on those satellites less than every 16 or 17 days - a little bit
difficult if you're getting close to harvest time or monitoring the changes in a wildfire,"
Hamerlink said.
The symposium will cover technological developments as well some of the ongoing legal
and privacy implications of drone use, he said.
http://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/university-of-wyoming-to-host-drone-aircraft-
symposium/article_3b7e650c-fef0-5df9-a978-c8316dc39e10.html
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777 Jet engine now part of South Seattle College aviation maintenance program
South Seattle College introduced the public on Monday to a remarkable piece of
equipment that Boeing has donated to the Aviation Maintenance Technology (AMT)
program. It's a a Pratt & Whitney 777 engine, that was damaged in transport and not able
to be used on an aircraft. It's value, as part of an educational program, makes the aircraft
maintenance program at SSC among the elite in the nation. Every year the program
graduates between 60 to 80 students.
"As the only school in the state with a 777 engine, we are able to provide on the job
training in our classroom," Aviation Dean Kim Alexander explained. "We wouldn't be able
to prepare our students for the real world without such strong support from partners like
Boeing."
This is first new engine that Boeing has ever donated to a college. In total, South's AMT
program has 13 aircrafts and 70 engines to provide students with a hands-on learning
experience in the classroom. The 777 engine is the largest in the fleet.
"Boeing is proud to help inspire tomorrow's aviation professionals through the donation of
this engine," said Rob Thayer, director of manufacturing and quality in the Propulsion
Systems division at Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "We hope our support for educational
programs and other initiatives encourages people to explore technical careers that are
rewarding for them and contribute to innovation that improves life for everyone."
http://www.westseattleherald.com/2016/02/26/news/777-jet-engine-now-part-south-
seattle-college-avi
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NASA seeks to revive supersonic air travel with quiet passenger jet initiative
Supersonic commercial flights may become a reality again as NASA has tasked Lockheed
Martin with developing a preliminary design of a "low boom" aircraft that will not produce
the notorious noise pollution at a cruise velocity exceeding the speed of sound.
Lockheed Martin will receive about $20 million over 17 months to come up with a viable
option for Quiet Supersonic Technology (QueSST) aimed at introducing commercial
aircraft that can reach supersonic speeds with a soft thump rather than disruptive noisy
boom unavoidable with the modern technology.
"NASA is working hard to make flight greener, safer and quieter - all while developing
aircraft that travel faster, and building an aviation system that operates more efficiently,"
said NASA 's administrator Charles Bolden, adding that the US is seeking to create a
"quieter supersonic jet with an aim toward passenger flight."
The contract awarded to the aerospace company is the first in a series of "X-planes" New
Aviation Horizons initiative which seeks to reduce noise levels to acceptable levels when
the aircraft is traveling at a supersonic cruise velocity. At an altitude of 35,000 feet
(10,668 km) the speed of sound is about 660 miles per hour (1,063 km/h).
The world's only passenger aircraft that flew at supersonic speeds were the Soviet Tu-144
and the Anglo-French Concorde which reached velocity of more than twice the speed of
sound. The Concorde flew people between London and New York in less than 3 1/2 hours,
while the Tu-144 was briefly deployed on a commercial route between Moscow and Alma-
ata. Both models saw less than two dozen aircraft produced and were retired at the turn
of the century.
Now NASA is seeking to improve on the old and inefficient technology and has allocated a
hefty sum towards the Commercial Supersonic Technology Project as part of its Fiscal
Year 2017 budget.
The main issue the US engineers are trying to overcome is a sonic boom - a loud noise
like thunder a person on the ground hears when an aircraft flies overhead at supersonic
speeds. However besides reducing the noise, NASA is also seeking to reduce fuel usage
and emissions through a slick new design of the new plane, that will depart from the
"conventional tube-and-wing aircraft shape."
The New Aviation Horizons, according to NASA, is envisioned to last at least a decade with
first aircraft flight test planned to be conducted around 2020, depending on funding.
https://www.rt.com/usa/334052-nasa-supersonic-passenger-jet/
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Call for papers for ISASI 2016, Iceland, 17 to 20 October 2016
The International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI) will hold their 47th annual
seminar at the Grand Hotel Reykjavik, Iceland, from the 17 to 20 October 2016. The
seminar theme is:
"Every link is important"
Papers are invited to address this theme in conjunction with other contemporary matters
on aviation safety investigation, including recent case studies, new investigation methods
and aviation safety trends or developments.
For those interested in presenting a paper, submissions of abstracts are due by 15 April
2016. Abstracts should include a title and up to 300-word summary of the main points of
the proposed paper. Please also include your name(s), affiliation, position, and a brief
resume. Submissions, or any inquiries regarding submissions, are to be sent to:
papers-ISASI2016@ESASI.EU.
The panel reviewing the submitted abstracts will consider criteria such as the quality of
the paper and the relevance to the seminar theme and air safety investigation. The panel
will also endeavour to ensure that a broad range of topics are covered during the
seminar. Decisions on the selected abstracts will be made by the 1 June 2016 and details
on the required format of the papers and presentations will be issued at that
time. Presenters will be required to submit their papers by 1 August 2016.
Further information on ISASI16 is available at www.esasi.eu/isasi-2016.
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Research Survey Request
For my Research on future cockpit layouts, I kindly request 10 minutes of your time to
answer the attached survey. The topic Gamification might surprise some, but it is a
growing discussion for modern workplaces and its often fatiguing conditions.
http://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/PilotInteractionInModernCockpits/
Thank you,
Capt. Tilmann Gabriel MBA FRAeS
ISO/IEC 17024 Certified Global Aviation Expert
Assistant Professor
Programme Director MSc Air Transport/Aircraft Maintenance Management
City University of London
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RESEARCH SURVEY
MENTAL HEALTH & FLYING SURVEY
Hi, my name is Daniel Danczyk. I am soliciting participation in my survey on mental
health and flying. If you are involved in seeing pilots with mental health or substance
abuse issues, or are involved in their cases, please complete my anonymous survey (link
below). On average, completion takes no more than 5-7 minutes. You do not need to be a
clinician to participate; I am looking for anyone that is involved in the medical treatment
or certification of pilots, whether they are doctors, airline employees assisting with
monitoring, private consultants, HIMS participants, government, or other experts. Below
the survey link is a more detailed description of my study including consent and contact
information. Thank you so much for your time!
Daniel Danczyk, MD
Fellow in Aerospace Medicine
AME/Flight Surgeon/Pilot/Psychiatrist
Mental Health and Flying Survey
https://src.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_0xLGAkp4CAtv36d
STUDY/CONSENT INFORMATION
IRB #: 15-008911
Mayo Clinic: Office for Human Research Protection
Protocol Title: Airline transport pilots and mental health: A Comparison of the medical
certification process between the U.S. and various European countries.
Principal Investigator: Lawrence Steinkraus, MD
You are being asked to participate in a research study about pilots and their mental
health. The purpose of this research is to study how mental health medical certification is
processed for pilots in their respective country. You are being invited to participate
because you are involved in some aspect of their aeromedical-mental health certification.
If you agree to participate you will be asked to complete an online anonymous survey
questionnaire. This will take no more than 10-15 minutes of your time. No information
will be recorded about you other than your country of origin. Confidentiality will be
maintained by NOT being able to trace back your responses to you. In other words, your
survey response will be assigned a random number for tracking/statistical purposes but
cannot be traced back to you. You will receive no payment for your participation.
There are no known risks to you from taking part in this research study. You may refuse
to answer any question(s) that you do not wish to answer.
The benefits which may reasonably be expected to result from this research study are to
improve the process for mental health medical certification of pilots in your country.
Please understand your participation is voluntary and you have the right to withdraw your
consent or discontinue participation at any time without penalty. Your submission of the
survey questionnaire signifies your consent to participate. Moreover, your current or
future medical care at the Mayo Clinic will not be jeopardized if you choose not to
participate.
If you have any questions about this research study you can contact my co-investigator,
Dr. Daniel Danczyk, at danczyk.daniel@mayo.edu. If you have any concerns, complaints,
or general questions about research or your rights as a participant, please contact the
Mayo Institutional Review Board (IRB) to speak to someone independent of the research
team at 507-266-4000 or toll free at 866-273-4681.
Curt Lewis